Steam-shovel.



E. 1. ARMSTRONG;

Patented Mar. 26, 191s.

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EDWIN J. ARMSTRONG, OFERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 BALL ENGrINSl COM- PANY, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, .A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-SI-IOVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Mar. 26, 1918.

Application led December G, 1916. Serial No. 135,328.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWIN J. ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Shovels, of which the following isV a specification.

This invention relates to steam shovels and consists in certain improvements in the construction Vthereof as will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims. Y

Machines of this type are ordinarily provided with a stationary frame which is mounted on wheels, some of'which are traction wheels. Upon this frame is placed a swinging platform, the swinging platform carrying the power plant and also the boom with a shovel or clam shell or similar device with which the machine is provided. In driving these machines under their own traction, it is customary to use what is known as the hoisting` engine for this purpose. The hoisting engine is not, of course, in use for hoisting when the machine is being moved from place to place and is, therefore, available for driving the machine. The hoisting engine being mounted on the swinging platform the power is transmitted to the traction wheel through the center of the platform. Ordinarily a vertical pin at this center has been used for this purpose. W'hen the machine is shipped it is ordinarily necessary to separate the frame andy platform. In machines, as ordinarily built, this involves the dismantling of quite a portion of the machine in order to separate the parts. One of the purposes of this invention is to simplify the structure so as to make'it more eflicient in' use and also to provide for the separation of the platform from the frame in a simple and convenient manner.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows Figure 1 shows a central vertical section of a fragment of the machine.

Fig. 2 a similar longitudinal section.

1 marks the machine frame, 2 bearings carried by this frame, 3 a driving axle mounted in the bearings 2, 4 a traction wheel, and 5 a gear fixed on the aXle 3 by means of a key 6. A gear 7 meshes the gear 5. The gear 7 is Xed on a transmission shaft 8 by means of a key'9. The shaft 8 is journaled in bearings lO'moux'ted on the frame. A gear 11 is fixed on the shaft 8 by means of a key 12. The gear 11 meshes a pinion 13. rfhe pinion 13 is fixed by means of a key 14 on the tapered end l5 of a center pin 1G. A screw 17 extends from the lower end of the pin 16 and nuts 18 are arranged on this screw for forcing the gear 13 onto the tapered portion 15 of the pin 16, thus securely locking the gear on the pin, the gear forming a collar for the lower end of the pin. A track 2O is arranged on they frame and a platform 21 is mounted on this track by means of wheels (not shown) in the ordinary manner. The pin 16 extends through bearings 19 in the frame and 22 in the platform respectively.

I have shown a. hoisting drum 23 with its usual mounting on the platform. rllhis drum which is ordinarily used to operate the hoisting cable is ordinarily and should preferably be centrallyglocated so as to line up with the cable running to the boom. This association with the vother parts of the machine requires it to be placed close to the center of the platform. A driving gear 24 is provided for the drum and this is driven from the engine (not shown) in the ordinary manner. The drum is mounted on a shaft 25. The shaft 25 is mounted on the bearings 26 on the posts or frame 27 extending upwardly from the platform. A gear 28 is fixed on the shaft 25 and meshes a gear 29. The gear 29 is iXed by a key 29a on a shaft 30. The shaft 30 is mounted in the bearings 31 carried by the frame 32. A pinion 33 is iiXed on the shaft 30` by means of a key 34 and the pinion 33 meshes and drives a pinion 35. The pinion 35 is mounted on the upper portion of the pin 16, the pin having an enlarged portion 36 on which the gear is mounted. The gear is locked against rotation by a key 37. A screw 38` extends upwardly from the end of the pin and the nuts 39 are arranged on this screw and lock the gear 35 on the pin.

When the machine is being moved the hoisting'drum is thrown out of action by the ordinary mechanism provided for this purpose' and the hoisting engine driven through the gear 24, shaft 25 and chain of gears',

above described transmits Vthe power from the engine to the traction wheel 4. @rdinarily the swinging engine is used for steering. the machine and consequently the` platform swings on the pin 16 even while the 'tached to the pin. for these parts. 1n assembling theparts the on the screw 17 can draw.

pin is being rotated for driving the machine forward. y

The pin 16 is utilized for locking the platform with the frame and consequently the gears 35 and 13 must be very securely at- This involves a tight fit nuts 1S operating l the pin rmly into place so that the screw not only serves for this purpose but also for locking the gear in place after the pin is forced downwardly to place. The nuts 39 operating on the upper end of the pin not only serve to hold the gear 35 in place but also serve to lift the pin when it is desired to remove it. For this purpose the upper end of the enlarged portion 36 is slightly below the upper face of the gear 35 sov that by operating the nut 39 the pin may be start-j ed. 1f desired the nut may be used for lifting the pin a farther distance by simply interposing something between the nut .and the upper face of the gear.

@rdinarily some portion of the hoisting` drum is in aXial alinement with a portion of the gear 35 so that a removal of the gear 35 from the pin 16 is necessary in order to permit of the lifting of the pin. Heretofore the common practice has been to first remove the gear 33 and the gear 35 and this required the removal of some of the. othern parts. rl`he time required for separating the platform from the frame has, therefore, been considerable. With the present device all that is necessary is to loosen the nuts at the bottom of the pin and then lift the pin 16 through the gear 85 leaving the gear in place. rlhis can be very quickly done and in the re-assembling of the parts time is also saved. At the same time a very firm construction is provided for the locking of the gears that they may form shoulders at the ends of the pins in the operation of the machine.

1t will be noted that the portion 36 of the pin is larger than the bearing so that the portion of the pin in the bearings can be readily withdrawn through the gear.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame; a traction wheel on which the frame is mounted; a swinging platform on the frame; a center pin; bearl ings in the platform and frame for said pin;

a drive connection between the pin and traction wheel; a gear mounted on the upper end of said pin and from which the pin is driven, said pin being removable upwardly through said gear; and means for driving said gear, said means being out of alinement with said pin whereby said pin may be removed withoutV removing said means.

. 2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame; a traction'wheel on which the fra-me 1s mounted; a swinging screw for locking the gear-in platform on the frame; center bearings in the platform and frame; a center pin in saidV bearings, said 'pindiaving a `portion above the bearings'larger than the bearings; a drive connection between the lower end'o'f the pin and the traction wheel; anda gear mounted on the larger portion of the pin above the bearings from which gear the pin is driven.

3. 1n a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame; a traction wheel'on which the frame is mounted; a swinging platform on the frame; a centerpin;fbear.

ings in the platform and frame for said pin;`

a drive connection between thepin and traction wheel; a gear mounted on the upper end of said pin and from which the pin is driven; said pin being removable upwardly through said gear; a screw on the upper end of the pin; Vand'means coacting with Vthe screw for locking the gear in place on the pin and for starting the pin when it is removed.

il. 1n a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame; a traction wheel on which the frame is mounted; a swinging platform on the frame; a center pin; bearings in the platform and frame for said pin; a drive connection Abetween the Vpin and traction wheel; a gear mounted on the upper end of. said pin and from which the pin is driven, said pin being removable upwardly through said gear; a screw on the upper end of 'the pin; and meanscoacting with the place on the pin and for starting the pin when it is removed, the upper end of the pin being below the face of the gear. Y i* 5. 1n a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame; a traction wheel on which the frame is mounted; a swinging platform on the frame; center bearingsin the platform and frame; va center pin arranged in the bearings, said piny havingA aV cone-shaped lower end; a gear Vmounted on the cone-shaped lower end ;V a connection between the gear and the traction wheel; a

screw extending from the end of the pin; means co-acting with the screw engaging the gear for locking the Vsame in place; and a gear on the upper end of the pin, saidpin being removable through said upper gear.

6. 1n a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame; a on which the frame is mounted; a swinging platform on the frame; center bearings in the platform and frame; a center pin arranged in the bearings, said pin having a cone-shaped lower end a gear mounted on the cone-shaped lower end.; a connection betweenthe gear vand the traction wheel; a screw extending from theV end r.of the pin; means Aco-acting with the screwl engaging the gear. for locking the .same in place; a

gear on the upper end of the pin, said pin traction wheel Y being removable through said upper gear; a screw extending from the upper eucl of the pin; and means (zo-acting With the screw and the upper1 face of the gear for starting the pin upwardly for its removal.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame; a traction Wheel on which the frame is mounted; a swinging platform on the frame; a hoisting drum mounted on the frame; a driving' in ans for the drum; Center bearings on the platform and frame; a center pin extending through the bearings; a drive connection between the pin and the traction Wheel; a gear on the upper enel of the pin7 portions of said gear being adjacent to and in axial alinement with portions said drum, said pin being out of alinement with said drum and removable upWr-dly through said gear; and a driving eenneeon between said means and gear.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

EDN J. ARMSTRONG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ef @atenta Washington, D. C. 

